Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-19
THE WOMEN.
A SHORT SERMON ON THE CHARM
ING ART OF LISTENING.
The Crocheted Corset-The Trials of
Young Girls-Fashion Notes
Ladies' Reading Clubs.

their position in the hearts of their friends !
chiefly to the fact that they were the most !
charming of listeners On the other hand, |
how many women are there whose useful !
ness and happiness are marred by their
ignorance of this accomplishment. Let us
give an Illustration of our meaning.
Where could you find sweeter, brighter,
more lovable young wife than Beatrice ?
AS Benedict sits opposite to her by the
fireside after dinner, and watches her
graceful head bending over her book, he
may well feel proud of her. II met Will
Jams in the city to-day" he said presently
Did you, dear p SAYS Beatrice, looking
up from her novel. "Yes He says he
thinks that house of Parker's would be
the very thing for Us. There are six rooms
kitchen OH ground floor, and a good strip
of garden "a good strip of garden on
the ground floor" repeated Beatrice,
dreamily, her eyes on the page. 81 wish
you'd listen to what Pm saying" says Ben
edict, somewhat Grossly. " If you'd rather
read, of course"-- " But | would not
rather read" answers Beatrice, closing her
book rapidly and fixing her eyes on her
husband with well simulated air OF pro-
found interest But she keeps her finger
in the place, which Benedict perceives and
draws his conclusions; and presently he
gets up feeling a trife hurt, and says he is
going over to have smoke with Jones'
Nowhere will you find better sister
than Martha. She watches over the do
mestic affairs of her brother Theophilus
with the greatest devotion. His gloves
are always in their place, his coat always
brushed; nor Is he ever exposed to the
modification Of putting on a clean shirt
and finding too late that it has button
lacking. In one respect only does Martha
come short of the ideal sister "Would
you like me to read something aloud to
you?" says Theophilus, coming into the
room where sits Martha by the fire knit
ting his winter socks. g have Just got
the new number of THE Asiatic' with
my article about the vowel sounds in
Sanskrit in it." Delightful p' cries Mar
tina. Thus encouraged, he begins to read,
giving every word its due weight, as only
authors do. Presently he is aware of
low undercurrent of sound He pauses,
and catches the mystic syllables: knit
one, purl one, knit two togetherw " / am
afraid you find it little dry" he sug-
gested, wistfully. Martha protests that,
though she is counting her stitches, she is
listening all the while and enjoying it i'm
mensely. But the readers pleasure is
gone. Martha is an admirable woman
why does She not listen?
| was asked not long ago to pass few
days in a country house to meet the fiance
Of the eldest son, an old college chum of
mine. The young lady was pretty, intelli-
gent, accomplished, and | heartily con-
graduated Tom on the marriage he was
making. But when spoke to his brother
in praise of his future sister, he said
gloomily, "Wait bit" | waited. The
first day 1 thought her clever The third
day | found her not clever exactly, but
yivacious and amusing. By the fifth / bad
grown heartily weary of the unceasing
flow of her commonplace chatter. When,
at the end of a week, heard the wedding
day was fixed, | found myself signing in
voluntarily. Since their marriage they
have often pressed me to go and stay at
the Rookeries, but | like occasionally to
have an opportunity of making a remark
myself, and for this reason I have always
refused the invitation. Poor Tom =
Chambers Journal
THE CRoCHETED CORSET.
The underwaist, which should support
the undergarments of growing children. is
always problem to mothers. Waists
made of any fabric invariably wear in
wrinkles and are unelastic and uncomfort-
able. What is needed is a garment that
will yield with every motion of the child
ish figure, and resume its shape again,
meanwhile not COMPRISING any part. This
want seems to be met in the crocheted
corset, which is pretty, fits well and wears
well.
Any color of coarse knitting cotton may
be used with cord of the same color. The
stitches are worked over a cord to give it
requisite firmness. Cast on loosely 50 chain
stitches-this is the length of the corset
at the back. Then crochet 50 half stitches
over the cord, which is held in the left
hand turn and crochet nine rows more in
the same manner, picking up both upper
and under stitches in the preceding row.
In the eleventh row the hip-gore begins,
for which work IA stitches over cord. s
without cord, and going back l chain, .
stitches without, and IA again over cord.
All the following short rows are to be
graduated off 8 stitches without cord
in like manner. Now crochet 2 rows
across the entire length of 80 stitches
again, then a short row of % stitches
up and down, and again ! row
across the entire length, which will bring
you to the middle of the gore. Crochet in
reversed order until the gore shall be COM
pieted, after which work 10 rows evenly of
81 stitches each. Now leave space at the
top for the arm-hole by working 20 rows of
81 stitches each. In the following row add
. stitches over cord to get the front length
of the corset, consisting of 60 stitches.
Work rows evenly and then proceed to
shape the garment in the following man
ner, interpoating short rows at top and
bottom alternately: Make | row of so
stitches, turn and work back again to the
bottom; then l row the entire length of GO
stitches; then double row of so stitches
at the top and again l row the entire
length; then row of Is stitches
at the bottom, turn and work back;
l row the entire length: a short row of
Is stitches at the top, turn and work back,
and work 3 rows the entire length This
will complete half of the corset. Crochet
the other half in reversed order, forming
the button-holes at the back by skipping 5
stitches and working s over the cord onlv,
crocheting the cord in between the button
holes. This is stronger than any other
fastening that could be devised
The shoulder-straps measure about 81
inches In length, and consist of four rows
each, crocheted lengthwise over the cord
and fastened to the corset by crochet rs
each row is finished Finish the edges,
top and bottom, with simple shell stitch,
sew on buttons to support the classics and
undergarments, and your little girl will
not only have very pretty corset but
a comfortable and durable one as well, far
preferable to any that can be bought. If
warmth be desired, it might be made of any
firm, rather hard-twisted yarn, using cot,
ton cord of the same color as filling. In this
case, finish the edges in silk, crocheted in
shells. The directions above given Will
make the corset % inches waist measure.
This is the usual size. 1t may easily be
made larger or smaller by increasing or
decreasing the number of plain rows that
go the entire length of the corset
A little erocheted skirt to accompany
this corset is desirable addition. Cast
on sufficient number of stitches to 60
easily around they waist. Crochet lin small